The Antidote to Reducing Job Stress andIncreasing Productivity in These Tough Economic Times: Ten Steps toCreating Higher Performing Workplaces
By Bob Pike Do you believe that job stress is higher than it's ever been? Thatpeople have greater fear about their jobs and financial security thanever before?
And that stress and fear reduces productivity? What if you weretold you that there is an antidote for these conditions and that thisantidote could be taken almost any time and any place? It's true, thereis.
And what is the antidote? The antidote is fun. Are you thinkingthat the idea of fun reducing stress and increasing productivity inthese tough economic times is ridiculous? That your organization islooking to simply survive, let alone thrive in these turbulent times?If that's true, then your competitors are silently cheering that you'llcontinue to believe that.
And they will continue to implement fun in the workplace and reap the productivity benefits.
First, let's get rid of either/or thinking. It is not fun ORproductivity - you don't have to make a choice. It can be fun ANDproductivity. A fun work environment is one in which a variety offormal and informal activities regularly occur.
These activities are designed to uplift people's spirits andpositively and publicly remind people of their value to their managers,their organization, and to each other through the use of humor, playfulgames, joyful celebrations, opportunities for self-development, orrecognition of achievements and milestones.
It's less about taking up time - and more about some thoughtful planning.
Here are just a few of the things people are doing right now (inorder of frequency) to create a more positive, fun, work environment:
• Recognition of personal milestones (e.g., birthdays and hiring
anniversaries).
• Fun social events (e.g., picnics, parties, and social gatherings).
• Public celebrations of professional achievements (e.g., award banquets).
• Opportunities for community volunteerism (e.g., civic and volunteer
groups).
• Stress release activities (e.g., exercise facilities, and massages).
• Humor (e.g., cartoons, jokes in newsletters and e-mails).
• Games (e.g., darts, bingo, and company-sponsored athletic teams).
• Friendly competitions among employees (e.g., attendance and sales
contests).
• Opportunities for personal development (e.g., quilting class and book
club).
• Entertainment (e.g., bands, skits, and plays).
CEOs and leadership experts are taking this seriously. KemmonsWilson, Jr. of the founding family of the Holiday Inns said, "Theresponsibility of incorporating 'fun' into an organization is asimportant a trait for a CEO to possess as is strategic planning."
Howard Putnam, former CEO of Southwest Airlines states: "We hiredattitudes that contained a humor and fun component and developed theirskills."
And Ken Blanchard, Chief Spiritual Officer of the Ken BlanchardCompanies and co-author of
The One Minute Manager said this: "There aretwo things that can drive out fear. The first is faith and the beliefin a better way of doing things. The second thing that will drive outfear is fun."
Here are some of the guidelines to insure that fun leads to productivity.
Fun activities should: 1. Make people smile (at a minimum) and laugh (if at all possible).
2. Positively and publicly remind people of their value to the organization and to each other.
3. Be inexpensive to develop, easily prepared, and able to be implemented within time and space limitations.
4. Uplift people's spirits in ways that make them feel good aboutbeing part of this organization (e.g., not embarrass, belittle, oroffend anyone in or outside of the organization).
5. Be as inclusive as possible, while respecting the right ofanyone to opt out without censure, ridicule, pressure, or criticism.
6. Not detract from anyone's ability to safely, professionally, or efficiently perform his or her job responsibilities.
7. Contribute to, and support, the organization's culture and core values.
8. Be done on a frequent basis, encompassing both planned and spontaneous events.
9. Be planned and implemented largely by employees (not be a top-down program).
10. Produce organizational results that are desirable, identifiable, and measurable.
It doesn't take a lot of time to put fun in the workplace toachieve results. What it takes is planning. And the results are wellworth it. We are in the midst of tough times, but in the toughest oftimes people have always realized at a deep level that things were tooserious to take seriously. So warriors joke when going into battle,while in battle, and in between battles - not because there is anythingfunny about it - but because it's too serious to take seriously.
And those with health challenges are found lightening things up -because it is a way to move on through that particular challenge. Andas those responsible for producing results in the workplace - and onwhose shoulders rests the real job of moving the world through thiscurrent global economic crisis - we can do it faster, better, easier -if we'll have the courage to allow and encourage our colleagues andco-workers to have fun while they are doing it.
Bob Pike CSP, CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame has been a training andperformance improvement consultant since 1969. He is the Chairman/CEOof the Bob Pike Group and the founder/Editor of the Creative trainingTechniques newsletter. Author of 28 books, his 29th, The Fun MinuteManager - Creating FUNomenal Results in the Workplace will be releasedin June 2009. Contact him at Bob@TheFunMinuteManager.com
